It’s been a common fact for long that trees are a central component in the solution to tackle the increasing levels of carbon in the atmosphere. As other plants trees possess the ability to absorb and store carbon under photosynthesis. While many therefor are looking at trees in search for a solution to the issue of climate change, recent studies have shown that there might be a more efficient plant to lowering the carbon levels, namely hemp.
Several independent studies have shown that industrial hemp on average is twice as effective in capturing carbon from the atmosphere as trees. According to Cambridge University researcher Darshil Shah, a typical forest absorbs 2 to 6 tonnes of CO2 a year per hectare. Whereas industrial hemp absorbs between 8 to 15 tonnes of CO2 a year per hectare, that’ve been cultivated. The level of absorbed carbon is in both cases influenced by many external factors such as climate, species of trees or plants, years of growth etc.
The benefits from industrial hemp doesn’t end here, even the soil benefits from the farming of hemp, since it also absorbs heavy metal toxins such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. Hemp is adept to grow in infertile soil as well and can therefore play a major role in the future of farming industry, since it can be used for land reclamation.
Hemp can be used in all kinds of industries varying from textile, medical and even construction while still containing the carbon in its fibers. Due to hemps effectiveness in absorbing carbon under growth, it will in many cases be viewed as a carbon negative crop, since the released carbon during production won’t exceed what it already has absorbed from the atmosphere at its growing phase.
In our current production year (2023) Canavita estimates to extract CBD oil from 6 tonnes of harvested hemp, which is equivalent to 4-hectare land. The plants will have grown in 4 to 5 months before harvested. In that time the 4-hectare of hemp will have absorbed between 10 to 20 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere.
For further readings we recommend exploring the research of Dr Darshil U. Shah from Cambridge University and the research on farming done by the non-profit soil laboratory Hudson Carbon.
Sources
https://carbonherald.com/cannabis-absorbs-double-the-amount-of-co2-than-trees/
https://pebblemag.com/magazine/living/hemp-solve-climate-change
https://www.dezeen.com/2021/06/30/carbon-sequestering-hemp-darshil-shah-interview/#
https://carboncredits.com/hemp-carbon-credits/
https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/technical-note-how-do-trees-store-carbon